13 of My Favorite Labor Day Grill Recipes

Labor Day has a complex history . The working class already had a day to celebrate the worker before there was this day – May 1, International Workers’ Day, which the rest of the world recognizes as Labor Day – but Mr. Grover couldn’t let that go. On top of all that, I’m glad you have the day off, and I think you should spend at least some of it grilling.

I cook outdoors on a charcoal grill, but you can certainly adapt any of the following to your gas grill or smoker. No matter your skill level, we have a grilling recipe that you can complete with confidence. You won’t find hamburgers or hot dogs on this list; you are probably familiar with them. (We even have a couple of vegan options if you’re interested.)

Herbie, Grilled Cheesy Sausage Bread

This grilled sandwich is the perfect combination of meaty, cheesy, salty and herbal flavors. Every bite is filled with flavor, and the recipe is so easy that you can swap out the cheese and sausage for customized combinations. (You can even make a breakfast version if you want to have a Labor Day brunch.)

Garlic oysters baked on charcoal

Inspired by Drago’s in New Orleans , I cook these buttery bivalve clams over a charcoal chimney that provides the super high heat needed to make these shells nice and smoky. Serve with crispy bread to soak in the oyster-garlic oil and an ice-cold glass of fresh white wine.

Grilled pizza

Making pizza with your own hands is easy to tire. People get mad about the test, but I sidestep that discussion by buying ready-made foods from the grocery store. The key to making great pizza is patience and preparation, but once you get the hang of the rhythm, cooking becomes much more fun and much easier. My personal favorite is grilled pineapple and prosciutto slices, placed just before serving to soften the fat but not cook.

Bacon-wrapped fish that doesn’t stick to the grill

The thin strips of salted bacon in this recipe do two things: protect the fish by keeping its delicate skin from sticking to the grill grate, and at the same time give it a slightly smoky, meaty flavor. It also securely holds any toppings – fresh herbs, lemon slices, chopped ginger root – inside the fish. No reversal occurs. Season the fish, stuff it with something, wrap it in bacon and let it cook away from hot coals until the bacon is crisp, about 20 minutes.

The juiciest duck baked on coals

Duck has a reputation for being fussy, but all that fat makes it the perfect candidate to accidentally throw it on the grill. Instead of cooking the whole thing in French and cooking the breast and legs separately, this recipe uses low, slow heat to gently melt the fat all over the bird, making it incredibly moist and tender even when the breast meat rises above the French meat. Definitely medium rare.

Light smoked pork shoulder

My desire for smoked pork with a beautiful crust and pink smoke ring is what inspired me to buy a Weber teapot in the first place. People may be weird about smoked meat, but don’t let anyone intimidate you. Let me walk you through the process of smoking your first pork shoulder , and you’ll see that it’s a fairly humble cooking method (with amazing results).

Smoked lamb in garlic packaging

If you can smoke a pork shoulder, you can smoke a sheep’s shoulder . The procedure is almost identical – only this piece of meat is stuffed with minced garlic and fresh herbs. (I worked out a recipe for Easter Sunday, but I don’t see the point in limiting lamb to just one holiday.)

Whole grilled chicken

You’ll need a grill kit to beat Costco at their own game, but the juicy and savory chicken is well worth the money. If you have leftovers (and I doubt you will), grilled chicken makes an incredible chicken salad the next day.

Pieces of smoked chicken

If you don’t feel like investing in any special equipment or you just prefer one part of the chicken over others, take your favorite chicken pieces and smoke them well . By breaking up a bird, you’ll be able to cook it faster and more evenly, and you’ll be able to take the pieces off the grill when they’re at the ideal temperature, instead of waiting for the dark meat to get to the breasts.

Steak sous vide and smoked

I won’t lie: this recipe is complex, long and worth it. If you’re going to shell out money for a ribeye, it should be cooked with care and attention, and you’ll end up giving this steak a lot of attention. You’ll start with a dry brine, then dry, chill, smoke, and roast to make one of the juiciest, most flavorful cuts of beef you’ll ever put in your mouth.

do-it-yourself shawarma

This is another recipe that calls for a skewer , but that means you have two reasons to buy it. (In case you forgot: the second is grilled chicken.) Choose your marinade or rub, place the meat on a skewer, and then proceed to rotate.

smoked gazpacho

Your garden is a great source of salad ingredients, but right now, at this very moment, it’s full of foods that dream of becoming smoky gazpachos . With this method, even unripe tomatoes are flavored, and this method is too simple to justify the name “recipe”.

Vegan cevapi with incredible meat

Roasted vegetables are divine, but vegans deserve something hearty and meaty, even if the “meat” is artificial. These Balkan-style “sausages” are made with your choice of alternative meats and plenty of raw garlic, and are cooked just like the “real” ones. (Sneak alone on a predator’s plate and see if they think it’s vegan.)